Lamp socket for flash guns



Dec. 4, 1962 MASANAO MATSUI LAMP SOCKET FOR FLASH GUNS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed June 10, 1959 .Jlv K/ ATTORNEY .5

Dec. 4, 1962 MASANAO MATSUI 3,067,399

LAMP SOCKET FOR FLASH GUNS Filed June 10, 1959 3-Sheets-Sheet 2 1962MASANAO MATSUI 3,067,399

LAMP SOCKET FOR FLASH GUNS Filed June 10, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORMaw/v40 4/475 ATTORNEY 5 United States Patent Delaware Filed June 10,1959, Ser. No. 819,282 6 Claims. (Cl. 339-33) This invention relates toa multiple socket structure for releasably holding one or the other of aplurality of lamp bulbs and is particularly concerned with special quicklocking and release arrangements in such sockets.

In its preferred embodiment the invention will be disclosed as a dualsocket adapted to receive either a bayonet type socket lamp bulb or alamp bulb having a circumferential locking recess in the base, eithertype being inserted into the socket with a straight axial push untillatched and readily released and ejected by a common push buttoncontrol.

It is therefore the major object of this invention to provide a novelsocket structure adapted to releasably receive and hold two differenttypes of lamp bulb bases and having special release and ejectorarrangements.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel socket structurefor a photoflash gun or the like wherein -a socket member for a smallsize lamp is movably mounted for displacement by insertion of a largersize A further object of the invention is to provide a novel dual socketstructure for a photoflash gun or the like wherein a socket member forreceiving the base of one type of lamp is axially slidable so as to bedisplaced by insertion of the base of another type of lamp, whereinlocking means, either the same or separately acting devices, releasablylatches either lamp'base upon axial insertion thereof into the socket,and wherein a single control is provided for releasing whichever lamp isin the socket.

Further objects of the invention will appear as' the descriptionproceeds in connection with the appended claims and the annexed drawingswherein:

FIGUREl is a section on line 1-1 of FIGURE 3 showing a dual socketaccording to a preferred embodiment of the invention with a small sizedlamp bulb inserted;

FIGURE 2 is a section essentially on line 2-2 of FIGURE 1 showingfurther socket detail;

FIGURE 3 is a front view taken on line 33 of FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view like FIGURE 1 but showing a bayonet basebulb inserted into the socket;

FIGURE 5- is a section showing another embodiment of dual socket withthe small bulb inserted;

FIGURE 6 is a section showing a bayonet bulb inserted into the FIGURE 5socket;

FIGURE 7 is a front elevation looking on line 7--7 of FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 8 is a section of a socket according to a further embodiment ofthe invention with a small bulb inserted;

FIGURE 9 is a section according to FIGURE 8 but with a large bulbinserted; and

FIGURE 10 is a rear elevation of the socket of FIG- URES 8 and 9 showingsocket contact and release button detail.

Referring to FIGURES 1-4, a photoflash gun casing 11 has a forwardlyopening cylindrical bore 12 formed with at least one axially extendinginternal groove 13 into which projects a radial pin 14 on an innersocket member 15 that is axially slidable within bore 12. The engagementof pin 14 in groove 13 prevents rotation of socket member 15 about itsaxis.

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Socket member 15 is preferably a hollow cylinder with its outerperiphery slidable along bore 12 and its inner periphery of such size asto slidably receive the cylindrical base 16 of a small lamp 17. Thislamp is of the type now being widely used, known as the M-2 flashlamp,and its base at the end away from the bulb has formed a circularlatching recess 18.

A longitudinal slot 19 is formed in the upper side Wall of socket member15 open rearwardly and terminating forwardly in an inclined stop face21.

A fixed center post 22 on the casing has an internal guide bore 23 toaxially slidably mount a metal center contact member 24 that isresiliently forwardly biased by a spring 25 bearing against the rearcasing wall 26. A flange 27 on contact member 24 encounters casingflange 28 to limit forward displacement of the contact member 24. Post22 is preferably an integral part of casing 11 as shown in FIGURE 1.

As shown in FIGURE 2 the socket member 15 is forwardly axially biased bya spring 29 that extends through a casing slot 31 to dispose oppositeend arms 32 and 33 respectively in a recess on socket member 15 andagainst an internal face 35 on the casing. Abutment of spring arm 32with internal surface 35 of the casing limits forward movement of socketmember 15. Any equivalent biasing spring may be used here.

A latch lever 36 is pivoted within the casing at 37 and has at theforward end a detent 38 adapted to pass through slot 19 of the socketmember into bore 39 of the socket member where it presents an inclinedcam surface 41 facing forwardly in the socket. Lever 36 is biasedcounterclockwise in FIGURE 1 by spring 42 reacting between it and thecasing, and face 21 serves as a stop for detent 38 as shown in FIGURE 1to limit latching movement of lever 36.

Lever 36, which is preferably a bell crank, is formed at the endopposite the detent 38 with a laterally projecting arm 43 that engages amanual push-button 44 slidably disposed in wall 26. When button 44 ispushed to the left in FIGURES 1 and 4, lever 36 is rocked clockwise atthe same time compressing spring 42.

FIGURE 1 shows the action of the socket in mounting the so-called M-2 orsmall lamp 17 having the annular latching recess 18 in its base. Thelamp .17 is thrust directly axially through bore 13 to insert its baseslidably in bore 39. Engagement of the front edge of the lamp base withlever cam surface 41 sufliciently rocks lever 36 against its spring biasto allow full insertion of the base, and detent 38 springs into latchingengagement with recess 18. By this time the usual center contact of thebase has engaged contact member 24 which is resiliently biased by nowcompressed spring 25 to maintain engagement and electrical contact.

After the lamp has been fired it is released and ejected simply bypressing button 44 to rock detent 38 out of the recess 18 so that spring25 may expand and push the lamp free of the socket. During this actionof insertion or release of the small lamp 17 there is no axial shift ofsocket member 15.

FIGURE 4 shows the action of the socket in mounting a larger lamp 45having a base provided with diametrically opposite bayonet pins 46. Thelamp is thrust axially into the bore 13 with pins 46 disposed in grooves13. At first the front end of the lamp base, which is larger in diameterthan bore 39, engages socket member 15 and slides it rearwardly. Face 21cams lever 36 to rock clockwise out of slot 19 and detent 38 rides alongthe outer peripheries of socket member 15 and the lamp base until camsurface 41 contacts pin 46 to further rock lever 36 clockwise. Thenafter passage of the pin 46 the detent 38 drops onto the lamp base tolatch over the pin and since the center contact of the lamp has nowengaged contact member 24 and compressed spring 28, the lamp 45 is nowlatched in the socket. There is no relative rotation of the lamp baseand socket member 15.

In order to release lamp 45, the operator pushes on the same button 44and this rocks detent 38 away from pin 46 to allow ejection spring 25 topush the lamp for.- wardly clear of the socket. If desired spring 25 maybe strong enough to eject either lamp entirely out of the socketstructure.

FIGURES 7 illustrate a further embodiment. The casing 47 has a forwardlyopening bore 48 formed with diametrically opposite grooves 49 the upperof which receives a pin 51 on the annular socket member 52 which isthereby slidably and non-rotatably mounted on the casing. The casing isslotted at 53 so that a lever 54 pivoted at 55 may extend through slot56 of the socket member 52 to dispose detent 57 in annular base recess13 of the small lamp when the latter is thrust into the socket. Abiasing spring 58 normally urges the lever 54 to latched position.

FIGURE 7 illustrates that slot 56 and lever 54 are slightly angularlydisplaced so that they will not interfere with the bayonet lamp sockethereinafter described. When the lamp 17 is in latched position as inFIGURE 5 its center contact engages metal contact 59 of the casing whichis secured on the end of a compressed ejection spring 61 projecting fromthe rear wall of the casing.

When the larger bayonet base lamp 45 is thrust into the socket with pins46 sliding in grooves 49 the end of the base engages socket element 52to slide it rearwardly. A bell crank lever '62 pivoted on the casing at60 has one arm 63 formed with an aperture 64 and an inclined cam face65. The other arm 66 is apertured at 67 to clear the center contact andnormally spring biased into contact with manual push button 68 by acompression spring 69. Arm 66 has a forwardly extending tab 71 adaptedto be engaged by lever 54 (FIGURE 5).

When lamp 45 is inserted the upper pin 46 engages face 65 and rocks thelever 62 clockwise sufiiciently to enable pin 46 to align with aperture64, at which time spring 69 acts to latch arm 63 to the lamp base. Bythis time, FIGURE 6, lever 54 has been moved out of the path of the lampbase.

With either lamp in position release is effected by pushing button 68.In the FIGURE 5 condition this rocks lever 54 clockwise to releasedetent 57 from recess 18 and enable spring 61 to eject lamp 17. In theFIGURE 6 condition arm 63 is rocked to remove aperture 64 from pin 46and spring 61 ejects lamp 45-.

Socket 52 in FIGURES 5-7 is suitably biased forwardly by the U-shapedspring arrangement shown at 88 in FIGURE 10.

Referring now to the embodiment of FIGURES 8-10 which is like that ofFIGURES 57 except that the manual push button is here integral with therelease lever, the casing 47 has forwardly opening bore 48 in whichsocket element 52 is slidably non-rotatably mounted as in FIGURES 57.Lever 54 extends through slot 56 and is biased by spring 58.

The release lever 72 is pivoted within the casing at 73 and biasedcounterclockwise by spring 74. Near its for: ward end arm 75 of lever 72is formed with an aperture '76 for pin 46 and a cam face 77. The end ofother arm 78 of lever 72 is provided with a tab 79 adapted to engagelever 54. So far the structure is like FIGURES 57.

In this embodiment the rear casing wall has a large aperture and therear side of arm 78 has secured thereto a button 82 available for manualoperation, The center contact and ejector spring in this embodiment is ablade '83 of spring metal anchored to the casing at 84 and having a lampcontact engaging tip 85.

Also in this embodiment it will be observed that the socket member 52has guide pins 86 sli-dable in internal casing slots 87, and a U-shapedspring 88 anchored at 39 bears against pins 86 to urge the socket member52 to the left in FIGURES 8 and 9.

Operation of this embodiment is essentially the same as in FIGURES 5-7.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departingfrom the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The presentembodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects asillustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention beingindicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoingdescription, and all changes which come within the meaning and range ofequivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States LettersPatent is:

1. In a photoflash device having a casing provided with internal dualsocket structure facing a front opening formed with a bore of such sizeas to receive the base of a standard bayonet base fiashlamp, said borehaving at least one longitudinal slot to slidably receive one of thebayonet pins of said base, said socket structure comprising an internalsocket member axially slidably and non-rotatably mounted within saidcasing and resiliently biased toward said opening, said socket memberhaving a bore to slidably receive the base of a small lamp, a leverpivoted on said casing and extending through a longitudinal slot in saidsocket member for latching engagement with said small lamp base, asecond lever pivoted within said casing and having an arm formed withmeans for latching with a pin of said bayonet base, and a commonmanually operable release means for both levers.

2. In the device defined in claim 1, said release means comprising asecond arm rigid with said second lever and adapted to engage said firstlever and a manually operated button for said second arm externallyaccessible at a wall of said casing.

3. The device defined in claim 2, wherein said button is fixed on saidsecond arm of said second lever.

4. In a photoflash device comprising a casing having a forwardly openingbore provided with at least one groove to slidably receive a bayonetlamp base pin, an annular internal socket member slidably andnon-rotatably mounted within said casing, means resiliently biasing saidsocket member toward said opening, a small lamp latch lever pivotedwithin said casing and resiliently biased to extend through a sideaperture of said socket member into latching engagement with the base ofa small lamp inserted through said opening, a spring biased large lamplatch lever pivoted on said casing, said large lamp latch lever being abell crank having one arm formed to latch with a pin of a bayonet baseand another arm adapted to engage said small lamp latch lever, andmanual means for rocking said large lamp latch lever to pivot both saidone arm and said small lamp latch lever in lamp releasing direction.

5 The device defined in claim 4 wherein said manual means is a button onsaid other arm of the bell crank.

'6. The device defined in claim 4 wherein said one arm of the bell crankhas an aperture adapted to receive said pin after the large lamp basehas been inserted through the opening to shift said socket memberrearwardly and pivot said small lamp latch member to inoperativeposition.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,804,537 Greger Aug. 27, 1957 2,848,701 McKee et al. Aug. 19, 19582,920,301 Kawate Jan. 5, 1960

